The Columbus East girls basketball team had a big summer for the third consecutive year.
The Olympians, who went undefeated two summers ago, and 17-3 last season, finished 18-6 during the June period in which coaches are permitted to work with their teams. The month was highlighted by a 7-2 finish to win the Seymour Shootout.
“I expected that we had a talented group, and it showed,” East coach Danny Brown said. “We played well together, played fundamentally sound. We have outside shooters and ball-handlers. It’s just a balanced group.”
The Olympians also went 1-2 in three games at Triton Central. East finished its summer schedule by going 10-2 at the Vincennes Camp while playing teams from Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. The Olympians lost their final game on last-second shot to Fishers.
“It’s kind of a work in progress, getting used to playing with each other,” Brown said. “We got a few practices in there. I wish we could have had more. I think this team will benefit from more individual drills in the fall. What we say every day is, ‘Let’s get better.’”
East is led by incoming sophomore Koryn Griewe, last year’s The Republic Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Incoming seniors Whitley Rankin and Katie Dougherty also return in the backcourt.
Incoming junior Megan Vetter and incoming sophomore Albany Speer also saw varsity action last season. Beyond that, Brown played five freshmen — Gabby Dean, Leah Bachmann, Emma Jenkins, Brielle Stevens and Heidi Murphy — this summer.
“We have a lot of young talent on varsity and JV,” Brown said. “Seventy percent of our varsity is freshmen and sophomores, but then we have good leadership from our two seniors and Megan.”
Meanwhile, the Olympian JV team went 17-5 this summer. They went 7-0 to win the Seymour Shootout, 2-1 at Triton Central and 8-4 at the Vincennes Camp.
“That’s the first time we’ve taken our JV to Vincennes,” Brown said. “It’s a good experience, a good bonding experience for our program.”
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This is the second of six stories this week on how the summer basketball seasons went for Bartholomew County schools.
Monday: Hauser girls
Today: Columbus East girls
Wednesday: Columbus North girls
Thursday: Hauser boys
Friday: Columbus East boys
Saturday: Columbus North boys
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